Concise Encyclopedia of Syntactic Theories

Syntactic description and theoretical syntax are central concerns in linguistics. For thirty years, the search for a single formal model of syntax has been the central task in the field; many theories have been proposed, some discarded, none universally adopted, and the problem continues to challenge linguists.The award-winning Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics included many excellent articles on all major syntactic theories, current or past, written either by their originators or by eminent practitioners. These articles are now collected here in a single volume. All have been thoroughly updated; several entirely new articles have been added, while others have been significantly revised or extended.This collection gives a full and fascinating picture of the evolution of linguists' attempts to wrestle with syntax. The comprehensive inclusion of less popular theories alongside more current ones provides the researcher with the context and perspectives necessary to appreciate why some avenues have been pursued, while others have not. This is valuable for the development both of the more generally accepted approaches, and of others now being revived or introduced.The editors' extensive introduction gives an excellent overview of the theories covered and of the issues involved, and places each article in its historical and theoretical context. The reader is supported by the inclusion of a substantial Glossary and name and subject indexes. The Concise Encyclopedia of Syntactic Theories will be an invaluable reference work, not only for those studying specific theories, but also for those with a wider interest in matters of linguistic theory.

Professor Nigel Vincent, The University of Manchester "Like the companion Concise Encyclopedia of Syntactic Theories, the Concise Encyclopedia of Grammatical Categories is a lucid and informative collection of articles, many of them written by leading scholars in the field. It not only provides an excellent introduction for the beginner or for the interested outsider, but is full of original and thought provoking insights that will stimulate even seasoned researchers in the field. I particularly like the way many of the entries range widely over a number of different languages, and thus reveal the richness and variety of the grammatical structures attested in the languages of the world and integrate them into a general picture of the phenomenon in question. Very valuable too are the detailed and up-to-date bibliographies that accompany each article. This is a must for every departmental and reference library." --Michael A. Covington, University of Georgia "[This] useful volume ... makes it obvious just how much linguistic research has been done during the past three or four decades. Linguists of all ages - those who remember the developments chronicled and those who don't - will enjoy browsing through [this volume] and filling gaps in their knowledge." --Language